Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Night 1 of "The 14 Nights of Valentine's Day Giveaway"

Welcome to night 1 of "The 14 Nights of Valentine's Day Movie Marathon Giveaway". Tonight we have our first featured shop from our Valentine Giveaway. We also have the review of the first movie on our Valentine Love Story Movie List. Take a look at the list and find some fun movies to watch this Valentine season. You'll even get the chance for 10 extra entries. It's also Wednesday so it's time for a little Valentine themed Wayback Wednesday. First lets get to our featured item of the night from Laughing Vixen Lounge.

Purchase this, or any other featured item, from Laughing Vixen Lounge through February 29th and get 10% off. Use code FEBRUARY10 at checkout.

Wayback Wednesday

Every Wednesday here at the Laughing Vixen Lounge blog we have Wayback Wednesday. So to keep with our theme here is a fun little video featuring some great vintage Valentine's Day cards. They go quite well with tonight's movie selection.

Moonsteam Alchemy is run by Sara from Tampa, Florida. Her shop is filled with "Vintage-inspired lip luxuries for elegant yet decadent ladies".

With flavors like Absinthe (mmmmm... licorice), Vanilla Chocolate, Butterscotch and Spiced Raspberry there is a little something to tempt everyone. The lip balms are inspired by such themes as Jane Austin, Marie Antoinette, Shakespeare, Steampunk and many more vintage classics.

Sara also runs Moonsteam Design Studio where creates and sells beautiful digital paper packs. With over 170 different styles to choose from you're sure to find just what you need for your crafting projects. The paper packs come in a rainbow of colors and fun designs. Perfect for scrapbooking, card making, jewelry or whatever you dream up.

You'll have a chance to win your choice of lip balm and digital paper pack from Sara. Enter now on the main giveaway page.

To get in the Valentine spirit each shop was asked what their favorite love story movie is. Sara said "I have way too many favorites!! I love feel-good romantic comedies and own many.
1 - ONLY YOU: Robery Downey Jr & Marisa Tomei. Fabulous to watch young Robert Downey. Before Iron Man & Sherlock Holmes came out, I used to rewatch this all the time & wonder what had happened to him, lol. This movie actually has a great cast all around and is just fun to watch.
2 - SPEECHLESS: Geena Davis & Michael Keaton. An all-time fav; just lighthearted & fun even though it takes place during a political race, lol. Wonderfully fun movie I can watch over & over; Keaton is fantastic.
3 - FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL: A classic, isn't it? Haha. If not, it should be."

Now for tonight's movie. Anyone who leaves a comment, with their opinion of the movie, for each of the 14 movies will get an extra 10 entries in our Valentine's Day Giveaway. After you finish commenting on all 14 movies you need only leave 1 comment on the main giveaway page that says "I made it through the 14 Nights of Valentine's Day Movie Marathon with my heart intact!" That 1 comment will count for 10 entries.

Night 1 - Raintree Country

Tagline - In The Great Tradition Of Civil War
Romance.

Music selections from the movie on the jukebox -

The title song for Raintree county was a great little song sung by Nat King Cole. Unfortunately I could not find it to download anywhere. But if you're curious you can listen to it on YouTube...

Directed by Edward Dmytryk (The Caine Mutiny and Murder, My Sweet) and released on December 20, 1957 by MGM Studios. When northerner John Shawnessy (Montgomery Clift) falls for southern belle Susanna Drake (Elizabeth Taylor) the idyllic world he knows in Raintree County is changed forever. With the Civil War looming on the horizon, dark secrets about Susanna's past coming to the surface, and the former love who still waits for him, John struggles to hold on to the ideal happiness him dreamed of when he was young.

When I was putting together the movie list for the giveaway I asked my mom if she wanted to pick one. This is her choice. Neither of us had seen it in a long time, actually I don't think I had ever seen it all, so we sat down and watched it.

It took a bit to get going but once it did I quite enjoyed it. It is from the late 50's and set in the late 1800's so it's definitely a period piece. With the Civil War as a distant back drop there is much emphasis on the differences between the North and South, slavery and what's considered proper society. Elizabeth Taylor's Susanna is full of deep dark mystery and a little bit disturbed which makes her interesting to watch. Everyone is dressed in lovely outfits and the movie is filmed very beautifully.

So if you like Civil War period dramas or just classic movies give this one a try. It may not be Gone With The Wind but it is worth a watch. Besides Liz is just beautiful as always and Montgomery Clift makes a handsome leading man.

Take a look at the original trailer. It does have some minor spoilers in it.

Some trivia about the movie...

1. At the time of its release, it held the honor of being the most expensive film ever made.
2. Montgomery Clift was in a near fatal auto accident after the start of filming. The accident left his face altered and started his life in a downward spiral until his death at 45 in 1966. The brief scenes which Clift filmed just before his accident are the only color footage in films available of him before the accident. All of his previous movies had been shot in black and white.
3. The town of Freehaven of the mythical Raintree County was created in 1956 on MGM's vast Backlot #3 at Jefferson and Overland Boulevards in Culver City, California, by re-designing a portion of an old western set and adding some new buildings such as the Freehaven Town Hall and its clock tower. In 1971, MGM's Lot #3 was demolished to make way for a new apartment and condominium complex which became known as "Raintree Estates," named for this motion picture. Several Chinese Golden Raintrees were planted around the new residential property and many of the complex's streets and buildings were named for various MGM productions.

I have some recollections of this film the trailer reminded me, it was funny with the voice over explaining practically the whole film. Do love the costumes, especially the dance outfits. And notice how its the dark haired girl versus the blonde!

well I am watching Jason Lives VI right now and hope My Bloody Valentine with that talented Jensen Ackles makes your list. Cuz I most probably havent seen any of these "proper love story movies" heh heh heh